This document discusses the principles and processes of incubation, hatching, and brooding chickens. It explains that incubation involves maintaining optimal temperature (99.5-99.8°F for the first 18 days, 98-99°F for the last 2 days) and humidity (60% RH for setters, 70-75% RH for hatchers). Eggs are turned every hour for the first 19 days of incubation. Hatching occurs over a 2 day period in the hatcher. Brooding involves housing and caring for chicks for the first 4-5 weeks, maintaining a temperature of 95°F the first week and decreasing it weekly until room temperature is reached.

1. INCUBATION,
HATCHING, AND
BROODING
Dr. P. Ravikanth Reddy
MVSc, PhD
Guest Faculty
KBR College of Agriculture and Horticulture
Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University
Dr. YSR Horticulture University

2.  Principles of incubation
 Temperature
 Humidity
 Turning of eggs
 Position of eggs
 Ventilation
Incubating and hatching

3. Brooding of chicks

4. Setter – 19
days
Hatcher - –
2 days
Brooder –
First 4 or 5
weeks
Shed –
Remaining
period

5. Egg incubator

7. Temperature
 First 18 days – 99.50F – 99.80F
 Last 2 days - 980F – 990F
 High – Accelerates growth rate – death
 Low – Decreased g. rate – death

8. Humidity
 Low humidity – evaporation of egg contents – small chick
 High humidity – No evaporation of egg contents – Big chick
 For pipping (Preventing beak sticking).

9.  Setter – 60% RH
 Hatcher – 70-75% RH
 RH requirement depends upon the shell thickness,
shell quality, season of hatch, and age of breeding
flock.
Dry and Wet bulb thermometers

10. Air requirement
 21% Oxygen
 Tolerance level of CO2 in setter – 0.3% and Hatcher – 0.75%.

11. Position of eggs in incubator
 1-19 days – Broader end up (Setter)
 Last 2-3 days – Flat position (Hatcher)
 Air cell for pulmonary respiration through beak

12. Turning of eggs
 Every one hour from 1-19 days.
 Yolk and white sticks with shell membranes.

13. Transfer of eggs to hatcher from setter
 When 1% of eggs are slightly pipped in the setter.
 Mostly on 19th day of incubation.
 Air cell contains 15-16% O2 and 4% more CO2 – Therefore pips
out.

14.  Disinfection - HCHO
 Sexing of chicks – For separation of male and female chicks in
layers.
 Grading of chicks – Physical characters
Vent sexing

15. Vent sexing

16. Brooding of chicks
 Care and management during first 4-5 weeks of age.

17. Preparation of shed to receive chicks
 A newly hatched chick cannot maintain homeostatic mechanism.
 Cleaned
 Fumigated
 White washing of shed
 Arrangement of hover and chick guard
 Litter material (Paddy husk or saw dust change frequently. Avoid
consuming litter material.

19. Paddy straw as litter material

20.  Temp – 950F for first week and decreased 50F every week till it
reaches room temperature.
 First 2 days – Maize
 After that – Mash diet containing 20% CP, and 2800 Kcal ME.
 Optimum spaces for feeders and waters.
 Light is required for 24 hrs upto 8 weeks period.

21. Heat patterns